| Rumsfeld and Friends | 2003-01-24 23:59 6 comments |
 by Flemming FunchThis is Donald Rumsfeld (now U.S. Secretary of Defense) meeting with Saddam Hussein December 20th, 1983. Iraq had a few months earlier started using chemical weapons, particularly mustard gas, on the battle field, which Rumsfeld knew very well. The U.S. was providing Iraq with significant financial and political support at the time. The purpose of the meeting was to express U.S. support for Iraq against Iran, and to make sure that U.S. oil interests weren't harmed. They were further negotiating about an oil pipeline from Iraq to the Jordanian port of Aqaba. Events in the war after the meeting seem to indicate that Saddam felt he had gotten a green light from Rumsfeld to proceed in stepping up the war and the use of chemical weapons, which was greatly expanded after the meeting. These events are mentioned in an article in the Herald Tribune by Joost R. Hiltermann, and are based on declassified documents from the State Department, specifically the notes from the meeting. Also remember that American and British companies have sold Iraq lots of chemical and nuclear hardware. |